Day 2: Early Evening - Tattered Pageantry

[Reader]

Tattered Pageantry
A steady drizzle falls on the tourney grounds as the opening martial pageant begins. The nobles are sheltered from the rain by the Tully blue canvas roof of the stands, but among the smallfolk the rain falls alike on the just and the unjust.
A herald from each house introduces their worthy champion, who is then charged with providing a display of horsemanship by riding up and down the lists while collecting wicker rings on his lance before finally riding down a jousting dummy at the ends of the lists.
There is limited drink available, with guests debating whether this is easing or stirring tensions, but at least there is plentiful food following the bounty of the royal hunt.
Tension is in the air, as those present mentally tally which houses and factions can lay claim to the finest knights in Westeros.

Participants: one herald per house and any number of riders per house. One rider must be nominated as each house's “champion”, he receives the benefit of any successful assist from his house's herald.

Challenges:
Herald: Post an introduction for your house's champion.
Status (reputation) (9) or Awareness (9) – to grab the crowd's attention or gauge its mood.
Persuasion/Deception (any) (9) – to suitably introduce your house's champion. You may also use this to push a “Green” (Queen) or “Black” (Princess) agenda. Doing so openly is less subtle and may have future ramifications, or this can be done subtly but imposes a -3 penalty to your roll.

Martial participants:
Post a description of your character's entrance, recitation of deeds, horsemanship and riding at rings with a lance and finally the jousting dummy.
Status (Tournaments) (12)
Animal Handling (Ride) (12)
Fighting (Spears) (12)
Anyone with the benefit Tourney Knights adds their Tournament dice to all three tests as a static benefit.
If a character's herald succeeds on both rolls, the martial participant gets the benefit of an assist (half of herald's rank in persuasion/deception) to all three rolls.

Consequences:
Knights passing all three tests = 1 glory
Highest total degrees of success = 1 additional glory and the title of “Pageant Champion” (highest rolled total breaks ties, then bonus dice in the tested specialities), plus a future seat at the royal table.
- Winner also receive a superior shield painted in your heraldry.
Highest Persuasion/Deception total = +1 to Green or Blacks “support” score and 1 glory to the herald.
Critical failures on Animal Handling or Fighting tests may lead to complications...
As normal, a poor rolland use of deception may have consequences.

[Theomore Tullison]

Dressed up in his new "
finery"
, Raff moves about the field to do his mischief. For the most part doing exactly what a page should be doing, though with a few little tricks here and there. Some rings placed not so far apart as they should at one occasion, and then a target dummy not properly put firmly in the ground at another. His biggest regret being that Ser Ebenezer's steed has too foul a temper to allow him to unfasten the saddle. Pity. Having a lowly knight end up flailing in the mud would be most entertaining...and fortuitous besides.

[url=sleight of hand][/url]: 5d6k4 10
[url=Disguise][/url]: 5d6k4 22
[url=cheat][/url]: 4d6 13

[Theomore Tullison]

Ser Theomore was one of the first to enter the field, looking resplendent upon his black destrier draped in Tullison colors. His plate armor polished for hours by his squire to the point where it could serve as a mirror. He shakes his head when his squire offers the grethelm fashioned by the master smith Ren Alyard to give the impression of the three peaks of House Tullison juts out from his head. He shows remarkable control of his horse as he spurs it to considerable speed, expertly collecting all of the wicker rings before riding to the end of field to hang from his saddle to pick a lone flower miraculously having survived the preparations of the grounds (He had of course arranged for a page to find that flower, dig it up, and place it at the tourney grounds for, Theomore had never believed in chance.), then he hands it to the prettiest young lady he spots, makes his own introduction, replying with a "
Floreta? You have a most delightful name, my lady, as is your beauty"
, his eyes offering the maid a moment where it seems that all the world is about her. Finally, Theomore makes the round, and accepts the helmet, as he has no interest in splinters hitting his face. He spurs the mount to movement once more, striking the target with the shatter of his lance and the impact leaves the target dummy leaning towards the ground.

Pageantry was mostly about showmanship.

Charming the girl: [url=Persuasion(Seduce)][/url]: 6d6k4 [url=Blood of Andals-reroll][/url]: 1d6 18

Riding:
[url=Status][/url]: 4d6 14 1 DoS
[url=Ride][/url]: 6d6k4+2 +2 BoA bonus 27 4 DoS
[url=spears][/url]: 5d6k4+2 17 2 DoS

+1 glory, 7DoS, 58 total roll, 3 specialties.

A bit later, when it is his nephew's turn to do the same, Theomore is on hand to share some of his glory with the young lord, having watched Dunstan at Mountain's Reach, he most certainly could use every little boost he could get. "
Descending from the Heights of Mountain's Reach, I present to you, Lord Dunstan Tullison."
Dramatic flair in his voice, Dunstan would need all the goodwill he could get. "
The shield against the clansmen! Hardened by stone! My lords and ladies, you will be the first to see my nephew ride at the list, behold what keeps the wilder folk of the mountains out of the Riverlands"
Ever the showman, Theomore smears it on thick, that it was Ser Mather's patrols, by foot, that kept the clans at bay, he need not trouble the attendants with. And odds were that the clans wouldn't venture this far anyway.

Heraldry (no green or black inclination):
[url=Status][/url]: 4d6 15
[url=Deception-Bluff][/url]: 5d6k4+3 18

Dunstan receives +2 to his rolls.

[Dunstan Tullison]

Dusntan rides out on his black courser whom he named Balerion, clad in blue and red of Tullison. He himself wore a magnificent full plate armor painted in the same colors. With raised visor he greets the audience making sure to turn around and wave in the every direction.
It was a fine day and he was living the dream of glory and knightly showmanship. Riding the rings proved easy enough as he managed to hit every one without much difficulty.
He than in a sudden movement strikes his mount and starts riding toward the dummy, putting the visor down as the courses gains speed. As the wind gushes around him he strikes the dummy with all of his force and slams it to the ground.
Once again he raises the visor, and a his face, visibly happy for not messing anything up, appears. Making one last round around the arena, absorbing the applause, he rides out.

[url=Status (Tournaments)][/url]: 5d6 21 +2 =23 (3 Dos)


[url=Animal Handling (Ride)][/url]: 3d6 11 +2 = 13 (1 DoS)

[url=Fighting (Spears)][/url]: 5d6k4 14 +2 = 16 (1 DoS)

+1 glory, 5 DoS, 52 in total,

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Daveth rides out on his courser Hoskagon, dressed to attract attention for once, though the rain was doing its best to impair that, seemingly turning heavier just as he stepped out of shelter.

Every eye here upon me, and I can barely see, as I don't want to wipe my eyes. He tries to assess the crowd's mood as best he can, regardless. The uncertainty around the throne makes the nobles nervous, which passes to the servants, and from there to other smallfolk. They can *feel* the tension in the land, and seek escape here. Joy. But what joy can I bring them? I can't see a tourney ground without seeing Joren at the same time.

[url=Gauging the crowd's mood][/url]: 3d6 8

Nonetheless, he tries his best to muster enthusiasm, for Ser Jorah's sake. "
The future is unknown, and many may fear dark days ahead. But fear not! For you are about to witness the martial might of Ser Jorah Holt, representing House Coldbrook. With such exemplars of chivalry and martial prowess around, you may rest assured that any days in the future that seem dominated by darkness will instead turn into a golden age for the entire kingdom!"


[url=Introducing champion, subtly pro-black][/url]: 4d6-3 7

(OOC: well, crap. 7 dice, not a single one above 4, and only 2 of them. Orokos *really* has it in for me. )

[Ser Jorah Holt]

Ser Jorah sat on his horse, his splint armour gleaming, always feeling slightly out of place at the joust. He was a military man, not a trick pony to entertain. He cantered out on his Rounsey, but compared to the plate clad knights, he did not cut a dramatic enough figure
Cantering around, he kept the horse at an even pace, but nothing spectacular, but as he charged at the training dummy, there was nothing wrong with his aim, managing to neatly remove the head of the dummy, leaving the remainder wobbling slightly.


[url=Status check for pageantry][/url]: 3d6k3 9 Fail
[url=Ride][/url]: 5d6k3 12 1DOS
[url=Fighting (Spears)][/url]: 6d6k5 23 3 DOS

4 DOS Total 44

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben rode out into the drizzle, patting Rose the rounsey, affectionately. "
Lets not embarrass ourselves old companion."
His oiled and polished coat of brigandine does little to impose his status over the steel clad warriors. Rose carries him gracefully around the tourney grounds. First stopping before Lord Tully and nearby royals to salute with his lance, then to the Tullison entourage, and lastly to the Blackwoods. Not impressive but not an utter disaster.

With the pomp and ass kissing done Ben rides the rings down easily enough no extra just enough to reach the goal. He gives Rose another pat. "
Good work girl."


Ben starts his assault on the jousting dummy. Roses hooves send dirt scrambling into the air. Ben leans in slightly at the last instance, his lance finding its mark and making short work of the dummy. "
Fantastic. We've got it were it counts ol'girl."


[url=Status Pageantry][/url]: 3d6 13
[url=Ride Pageantry][/url]: 5d6k3 13
[url=Spears Pageantry][/url]: 7d6k5 21

+1 glory, 4 Dos, 47 points total

[Garret Snow]

OOC: There had been some mischief with Orokos during my rolls, and with Reader's permission I am performing a slight retcon

The rain had not let up by the time Garret brought his courser around to the tourney grounds. He was armored only a simple breastplate over boiled leather and his bay courser wore no banding. He looked every bit the bastard son of an upjumped hedge knight. He could feel the disdainful gaze of the highborn lords and ladies, he could hear the sniggering laughs of the proud anointed knights. Daveth had done his level best to rally the crowd in House Coldbrook's favor, but they remained the outsiders. But Garret would be damned if he would not ride.

Status [url=Status][/url]: 3d6k2 8
Ride [url=Ride][/url]: 4d6k3 11
Ride (Lucky reroll) [url=Ride (Lucky reroll)][/url]: 4d6k3 11 OOC: Are you kidding me?
Spears [url=Spears][/url]: 5d6k4 17

As he wheeled back from pass, Garret gritted his teeth in fury at the hail of chuckles and sarcastic applause. His lance had found the mark but he had ridden poorly and looked more a green boy with a lance than a man of skill. The ground had been uneven, the rain in his eyes, but he knew the fault was his alone. He had meant to show his skill but had only succeeded in proving that he was a bastard with not place among the great knights of the Seven Kingdoms. He dismounted his horse furiously, striding away from the tourney field as he silently vowed to silence all of the laughter.

OOC: Welp. That sucked. Pretty much awful across the board 2 Dos

[Reader]

Murmurs fly through the crowd at Garret's surprising showing, particularly among the smallfolk where significant coin had been wagered after rumours of the Northerner taking after his talented father had spread.

Fuck me, Hubert told me he was a better prospect than that.

Maybe he's one for the melee, like his father, rather than the knightly art of jousting?

Nah fool it's the curse of Castle Grenward. The Seven frown on Northerners holding the castle...

House Darry's piety and faith in the Seven didn't do them any good! The Gods, old and new, mock any man that holds that cursed keep.

[Yoren longshore]

Yoren gets ready, breathing heavily, as his old master told him to do before speaking to a crowd:
"
All the people gathered here, all to see the impressive knights our beautiful realm has to offer. This afternoon we will determine who are worth of the songs that will undoubtedly be written. Here I will represent a man worthy of feats of showmanship few will be able to match, fewer still will be able to beat.
This man has prepared for this moment for all bur 20 years: see the horsemanship of Athelstan!!!"

Yoren gets gradually louder before shouting the last part. Afterwards he bows and exits, praying that Athelstan will be able to do these challenges.

OOC
[url=catching attention with status][/url]: 3d6 12
And the crowd is at the very least interested
[url=winning crowd over persuasion convince][/url]: 5d6k4 16
And the crowd is ready for athelstan.

[Athelstan]

Athelstan rides out on his deep sorrel horse. He stops and raises his visor, looking as if he wore a mantle of nobility and lordship in a natural fashion, clad with a fine breastplate with the crest of the Longshore House in it, over a green gambeson, he greets the audience with a smile.

It was a day as good as any to try to play the Greenlander games, but it is also his chance to show himself as worthy of his father recognition and of those of his peers.

Athelstan lowers his visor and spurs his horse onward charging the rings, showing decent enough horsemanship skills and a good aim as he hits the rings with a steady arm and skill, managing to hit every one of them. Keeping the momentum he spurs his mount to greater speeds towards the dummy, as he cuts through the breeze and strikes the dummy by adding his strength to that of his horse momentum hitting the dummy and slamming it to the ground.

Slowing down afterwards he raises hi visor again, happy with his performance, acquitting himself well, raising his spear to the audience, and going one last round before riding out.

[url=Status][/url]: 3d6k3+2 15
[url=Ride][/url]: 4d6k3+2 13
[url=Spears][/url]: 5d6k4+2 19

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyneth rode out onto the field to play herald for Baelon, already thanking each of the Seven in turn that she hadn't had to go out immediately after Garret. It had rattled the crowd. They were recovering now though, and she could work with that. Flying the colors of Marsten and the royal family, she was dressed in white with a wreath of flowers tangled in her long blonde hair that flowed behind her as she went. She looked every inch like a princess in an old tale of heroic deeds and grand battles...the kind of tale that people tell themselves are for children, but that they all wish were true all the same.

Even in broad daylight, her smile seemed to brighten the field. It lit up her whole face. Just seeing it made someone feel warm and welcome. The murmuring among the smallfollk had not escaped her. They needed a new hero, she thought...and why not oblige them?

"
Lords and ladies, men and women,"
she said. Her voice was clear...loud enough to be heard, but not strident or ringing up close. She'd worked very hard on perfecting that pitch and volume and timbre. "
The greatest of heroes are known not by title, but by deed. The knight I present to you is not a king, nor a lord, but by his sword have many been kept safe, including myself. By his courage charges were met and stopped in their tracks, and armored knights sent crashing to the ground. From humble beginnings, he has brought himself honor on the battlefield, respect in his dealings, and glory in his victories."


She clasped her hands together and held them out. "
Please join me in welcoming the champion of House Marsten, Ser Baelon Waters!"


(OOC - blah, no time to figure out how to make these look purty. LINKS FOR YOU)
Awareness (Empathy) to gauge the mood: 19 (http://orokos.com/roll/280102)
Persuasion (Charm) to sway the crowd: 22 (http://orokos.com/roll/280110)

Aw yeah)

[Baelon Drakeson]

Following such a splendid introduction, Baelon sends his steel-grey horse, Velox, on a circuit of the field at a canter, bells woven into it's white mane and tail chiming in a waltz-like meter. His lance bears three banners: the Targaryan dragon, The Marsten lightning bolt on sable and vert chevronny, and finally his own simple sanguine bend sinister on sable. As he passes the royal box, he raises his lance in salute, nodding his head to Prince Damon and Princess Rhaenyra.
[url=Pageantry - Status][/url]: 3d6+2 5
OOC: oh... oh my... all ones... no no no that cannot stand It is far too early for such a bad roll to ruin everything.
Spending a DP would at best raise it to a 10, and could still be a critical failure.
Thus I will BURN(!) a DP to make that an exact success: 12 [1 DoS]

Completing his circuit, he exchanges the banner-laden lance for a more practical one, and sets his steed forth to ride at the rings, catching them all with ease.
[url=Pageantry - Riding][/url]: 4d6+2 17 [2 DoS]

Finally, he gives the aid to cue Velox into a gallop, bringing his lance into precisely placed strike against the strawman.
[url=Pageantry - Fighting(Spears)][/url]: 6d6k5+2 22 [3 DoS]

OOC: 6 DoS, 51 total. +1 Glory

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine watches each round with relatively passive interest, applauding appropriately.

"
I'd rather ride than spectate,"
she thinks to herself.

However, seeing Gwyneth's shining performance makes her smile more warmly.

[Kevan Lyras]

As the very last rider, Kevan enters the competition on his coal black rounsey.

It feels a bit surreal, mere days ago I was still fighting clansmen on Marsten lands and now I am riding at rings... but oh well, we can win as much in one or the other activity, I guess...

He leads his horse to in a small circle to present himself to the spectators still present before lowering his lance and riding at the rings. Despite the fatiguing journey, his arms are still strong and his aim is steady. He finishes his turn with all rings collected at an impressive speed and charges at the training dummy, pushing his steady horse to go even faster.
He hits perfectly and ducks out of the way of the swinging weights with a swift move in his saddle.

That went quite well, maybe this Tourney could bring the windfall we are seeking after all...

He bows to the cheering crowd before leaving the tourney grounds to remove his armor...

Tests:
[url=Pageantry - Fighting][/url]: 7d6k5 20
[url=Pageantry - Riding][/url]: 5d6k3 11
[url=Pageantry - Status][/url]: 3d6 13
I have blood of the Andals and would like to add the +2 to Riding to succeed in this challenge. It says "
Once per day, add 2 to the result of any one test you have just made."

4 DoS, +1 glory, yay that went better than expected!

[Reader]

[OOC results below, IC feedback in rumours thread and above for the cursed Coldbrook family!

Ser Theomore is the "
Pageant champion"
and receives an ironwood (superior) shield, painted in Tillison colours at day 3's feast. It's harder to break than a normal shield. He sits with royalty at day 3's feast.

Who said cheats don't prosper? Ladies and gentlemen, we've got our heel!

Glory
- Theomore Tullison +2 Glory
- Dunstan Tullison +1 Glory
- Benedict Blackthorne +1 Glory
- Athelstan +1 Glory (presumably he'll star in the film Ironmen can't joust, Westeros's equivalent of White Men Can't Jumpy)
- Baelon Water +1 Glory
- Kevan Lyras +1 Glory

Herald
- Gwyneth Marsten scored highest, +1 glory

Everyone, please record this in your character sheet.]

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

SQUEEE

[Jon Cobb]

Guiding his chestnut rounsey with one hand, Jon rides at a trot to the center of the field. He has donned no armor, but wears a brand new red surcoat, decorated with the boar of House Bartheld. In his left hand he holds his shield, decorated with his personal coat of arms. A huge grin is plastered all over his face as he turns to adress the crowd with malicious glee...

"
My lords! My ladies! Miserable peasants! I am Wrecker Jon, and my deeds are known to all, but the same cannot be said of the poor fellow whose herald I am this day! It grieves me to say that though he squired for Prince Daemon and is a fellow veteran of the War for the Stepstones, I have no tales of his martial prowess to share. Nay, his talents lie entirely in other fields of human endeavor!"


"
He dances the maidens dizzy! He's the terror of the wine cellar! He'd rather ride your sister than his courser! He'd rather read a book than swing a sword, and only a Maester can comprehend his wit! And yet, he is the finest knight House Bartheld has to offer. Friends - I beg of you - join me now in a rousing cheer for Ser Fendrel Bartheld!"
The crowd roars with merriment at Jon's unorthodox introduction, and happily complies with his request, greeting Ser Fendrel with unbridled enthusiasm.

[url=Status (Reputation)][/url]: 4d6k3 12 1 DoS
[url=Persuasion (Charm)][/url]: 5d6 24 4 DoS
Ser Fendrel receives +2 to his rolls.

[Ser Fendrel Bartheld]

[RP to be added soon.]

[url=Status][/url]: 4d6+2 19 2 DoS.

[url=Animal Handling (Ride)][/url]: 4d6k3+2 12 1 DoS.

[url=Fighting (Spears)][/url]: 6d6k5+2 27 4 DoS.

Total roll: 58. 7 DoS. +1 Glory.

[Late post approved by Reader.]

[Derrock Swann]

[OOC: Narrator-requested late post]

After the myriad of other knights had passed, there came one who, even beneath the shield of his visor, was known to all, if only by the colors he bore. Astride a deep black rounsey, impressive enough for a horse of no breeding and adorned with the contrasting swans of House Swann, Ser Derrock "
Shieldbreaker"
, the Auroch, waved towards the crowd and revealed his face.

"
Good men and women of Riverrun,"
the knight started, "
esteemed visitors honoring this tourney with your presence! I come before you today as the sole rider of my house, and herald of my own name! I harbor no wish to fanfare and embelish my presence, and thus, there is only one truth I can offer: that I, Ser Derrock of the House Swann, am humbled to behold this magnificent audience! May the blessings of the Seven shine on us all this day."
With another wave and a practiced, but honest smile, he lowered and his visor and set to ride.

[url=Tattered Pageantry - Status (Reputation)][/url]: 4d6k3 9
[url=Tattered Pageantry - Persuasion (Charm)][/url]: 5d6k5 + [url=Reroll][/url] 1d6 13

Setting his horse to trot, the knight quickly and flawlessly rode up to the lists, and each and every ring was looped into his lance with but a simple motion. Not much one for flourish, but rather efficiency, Ser Derrock charged the dummy just as the last ring fell in place. The metal bands jingled against each other as rider and horse advanced, and were thrust forwards into the target as the lance impaled it, falling to the ground mercilessly with the wooden man. Swann rode up and down the lists another time, lowering his head in a mounted bow to those present before leaving the pageantry ground.

[url=Tattered Pageantry - Status (Tournaments)][/url]: 5d6k3+3 19 - 2 DoS
[url=Tattered Pageantry - Animal Handling (Ride)][/url]: 8d6k5+3 26 - 3 DoS
[url=Tattered Pageantry - Fighting (Spears)][/url]: 7d6k5+3 21 - 2 DoS

Total: 7 DoS, 66 Total Roll, +1 Glory.
[OOC: I'm aware it's too late to win shield/seat, but do I get additional Glory?]

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